One of the critical elements related to efficiency and safe use of respirator filter cartridges is their operational life span. Predicting the life span of a respirator cartridge is difficult because it is dependant on parameters such as environmental temperature, the nature and concentration of the contaminants and the rate of breathing. Ideally, respirator cartridges should include an End of Service Life Indicator (ESLI) system to warn the wearer when it is time to change cartridges. The development of a cheap, reliable, disposable ESLI would significantly improve the protection of military units in a chemical warfare (CW) environment. Currently, no ESLI is available on the market that is capable of detecting a range of CW agents and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) and therefore, the commercialisation potential of a successful ESLI is high. This report reviews all prior art relating to ESLIs for respirator cartridges which will provide the foundation for future development in this area.

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